Will New Fulcrum Wheels Make You Cycle Faster
Yes and no. Maybe. Depends. I learned that there are a variety of variables that can contribute to you speed. Motivation, bike weight, training style, personal weight, hydration, and fuel all play a part. It took me about two months to train and learn what I had not learned my entire life. The one, the one and only strategy that made me get faster was getting out in front. I’d love to tell you that my new Fulcrum’s were the key to reaching my speed goals – but they were only a part of the whole picture.
My Cycling History
I had been riding seriously with my cycling partner for four years. Tuesday and Thursday mornings, we were up at 3:30 a.m. and on the road by 4:00 a.m. for a 22 mile sprint, averaging 16-17 mph.
My cycling partner and husband Bill stayed in front. He has far more experience riding in the dark, and was stronger.
If the weather was bad in the morning, we rode at 4:00 p.m. a different route, but 22 miles. Saturday and Sunday, we logged anywhere from 20 to 40 miles depending on if I was not working, or if we had a huge project that had priority. Again, Bill led most of the time – I’d say 90% of the time.
Best Advice Ever
Bill kept telling me I needed to get out in front if we were going to increase our communal speed. I thought certainly I was getting stronger and stronger.
In the beginning, I could barely keep up with him. A couple years later, I could keep up with him fairly well. I felt stronger…
And here’s the rub – I was doing 30% of the “work” by riding in the back.
That meant I probably was only 30% as strong as I needed to become.
Covid Slows Us Down
When Covid struck, our theory was that we would do anything to stay out of the hospital, including forego riding. We didn’t want any slight injury to cause us to end up in a hospital,
Our concerns were several – we didn’t want to add to the workload of overworked medical staff. Causing them more stress, taking them away from people who really needed help – it all added to a feeling of selfishness if we pursued our activities.
Revising Our Stance on Covid
Four months in, we revisited our stance on exercise. We kept up our three-times a week morning core strength training workouts; relatively safe. When doing yardwork with chainsaws, we were extra careful and only did what was absolutely necessary. Again – worrying about burdening already overworked hospital staff.
Thoroughly, we reviewed our cycling history. We analyzed our riding areas; relatively quiet, very few vehicles, no busy intersections or congestion. Our history of extremely careful cycling and attention to details, safety, and rural roads seemed to suggest we could, actually, cycle safely during Covid.
Back in the Saddle
The absolute stress of Covid and working from home was making us exhausted. We knew we had to get plenty of rest to stay well. Getting up at 3:30 a.m. was not an option, as we were so depressed and tired from Covid dreams. Nightly, worrisome dreams about forgetting to wear a mask, being dropped into a crowd of people without masks made us lose restorative sleep.
Bill had to return to work, and I had two more months at home.
That’s when I decided I would resume cycling.
Birthday Fulcrums!
And that’s when my birthday Fulcrums arrived. Mine are the Fulcrum Racing 3 C17 Clincher Wheelset 2020.
On the first trial, I was slower on the Fulcrums than my original wheels! I worried about that for a few rides, then I shook it off and forgot all about it.
How I Found My Pace
Then it happened. For two months, I fought alone. I set my goal at getting over my fear of dogs chasing me, developing saddle sores, and being consistent with a 22 mile ride on my own Tuesday and Thursday morning when the sun came up.
The things I learned, I might never have learned. Finally, I learned that when and what I ate and drank made a huge difference in my riding success. Also, I learned what Bill had been saying all along – getting in front would make me a stronger rider. I finally felt and understood that I had been doing 30% of the work when I was “in the back.”
Taking the Lead
Getting out in front was miraculous. I learned how to pace myself, how to set goals. In addition, I learned so much about fuel and hydration, sleep and stretching… I was able to push, really, really push and watch my average speed climb.
You might like to read: How To Protect Yourself From Off-Leash Dangerous Dogs That Chase Cyclists
Another part of my journey you might appreciate: Your Saddle Sores Can Be Solved // Womens’ Cycling Common Issue
Setting Goals
I started setting goals for when we were able to ride again. Manifesting an average speed of 17.4 mph after reading The Secret, I treated myself to an inscribed silver bracelet to wear and remind me all week of why I was eating clean, drinking clean, making a sleep a priority, and continuing weekday strength training. My plan was for us to make it to 17.4, then push on to 18.6 then some 20’s. Also, I planned once we accomplished each goal, to order the next bracelet to wear to remind me what’s coming next.
For two months, I battled my own demons, as well as the road, the rain, the humidity, my insecurities, and the asphalt. Not only did I get faster, I got stronger, smarter, and more aware of what it would take to increase speed. My speed rose and fell in small increments, with an overall increase!
Reaching the Goal
Finally, we had time to ride together for a couple weekends straight. I kept up my Tuesday and Thursday runs, and we rode together on Saturday and Sunday. We did it – we made it 22 miles with a 17.4 mph average. GAME ON.
How we accomplished our speed goal was switching off every couple miles.
Finally, I was able to pull my share, and keep my speeds at 19-20. With swapping back and forth for the lead, we could push our collective average higher and higher. As soon as one of us started dropping in speed; we switched positions on the lead.
Was It the Fulcrums?
So, did the Fulcrum 3’s make my speed increase possible? They were one part of an entire whole-mind approach. Maybe I believed I would be faster on top of them. I convinced myself that they take more effort to bring up to speed, and that around 17.5 is where they finally “spin” and become aerodynamic.
Keeping myself at that 17 mph speed was a huge struggle, but I got closer and closer and finally made it. The only way to take any more weight off my bike is more expensive parts.
My bike has nearly reached the lightest weight possible.
What Next?
The next place I can shave some weight is… me.
So, that’s what I’m doing next. Lightening up myself. Three weeks in, nine pounds down, 24 pounds to go. More than the entire weight of my bike. Somehow, I thought working out and cycling at the same rate as my husband, preparing healthy meals myself, and running; I could eat as much as he does. Nope. He’s 6′ 2″. I”m 5′ 9″. It doesn’t work like that. From Noom, I’m learning a lot. It’s all about habits as well as food.
In the first couple months we lived together, I packed on 30 pounds. Boom. My doctor thought it was hormones; something unavoidable. Maybe it is. Perhaps it was cooking and baking regularly – two meals a day. I don’t care. It’s over. Done with those excuses.
So, yeah. I’m shaving some serious weight off my bike.
The Big Picture
Now I know the secret to cycling faster. It’s all of it – the equipment like the lighter wheels, the sleep, the hydration, the fuel, the mindset, the push, the pull, the mileage. It’s a culmination of all those variables and factors.
You just have to analyze where you can improve, and do that.
